In Belthangady, thanks to a family-run seed bank in Belthangady, one can still get the original taste of the pure-bred paddy
After the introduction of several hybrid varieties, the original and ancient varieties of paddy have vanished into the oblivion. For almost 35 years, people have been consuming the hybrid variety; some have even forgotten how the original paddy tastes like.
However, thanks to a family-run seed bank in Belthangady, one can still get the original taste of the pure-bred paddy.
In a seven-acre field owned by of BK Deva Rao and his son BK Parameshwara Rao, about 66 original varieties of paddy are being cultivated.
The ‘Namana’ seed bank, as it is named by the family, has become a pilgrimage centre for researchers on paddy, including NG Ranga Institute of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh, GKVK, Bangalore, and Rice Development and Research Institute at Brahmavar in Udupi.
“Thanks to the initiative taken by the Nagarika Seva Trust of Gurvainakere, we could sustain the seed bank and also cultivate all the 66 varieties of paddy to keep their genes alive. But the path to this has not been easy. We had to travel every corner of the country to secure the seeds and learn about cultivation. Each seed requires a different cultivation method, water inputs, and processing,” said Deva Rao.
Even at 65, Deva Rao meticulously arranges the seeds after every harvest in the earthen pots in a specially fabricated room, designed to maintain the right humidity and temperature. Taking a handful of Gandhasala (an aromatic variety), Deva Rao said that each of these 66 varieties had a different texture, size, shape and aroma.
“Every variety has to be harvested away from each other so that they do not get mixed up. These are special varieties and perhaps the last ones that are being cultivated today,” he said.
“These varieties are very fragile. If you do not sow them within eight months, they won’t germinate. So the best way to preserve them will be to cultivate them every season — some in khariff and some in rabi season.”
Deva’s son Parameshwara takes care of the field operations. “The one thing I am afraid of is the mixing-up of the seeds. If that happens, we may not be able to keep the purity of the genes.”
The Raos have also kept the commercial interests alive by having their own processing unit at home. “It is not that we make a huge profit out of it, but if the paddy seeds have to be preserved in their original gene bank, they have to be cultivated, harvested, and consumed not just by one family or people from one village or town, but by a larger community of people. We do sell all the 66 varieties of paddy produced in our fields to everyone who needs it. Our stocks get over within 45 days of harvest,” Parameshwara said.
Some of the paddy varieties have not been cultivated for over 200 years anywhere else in the country, and some of them are cultivated exclusively in Belthangady.
“But everybody is now running after only a few varieties, which is not good for maintaining our paddy diversity,” said Parameshwara.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}